Pranks and Misunderstandings
by Osoyo702
Summary: Naruto loses his title as a ninja, and catches Hinata in the arms of another. Hearts and bones are broken, friendships are ended, and feelings are revealed. NaruHina


**Yo, this is Oso, im a lil stuck on Second Chance at the moment, I promise an update soon. But this is my first shot at a one shot and its pretty long so I hope you enjoy. Again all reviews are welcome, please keep tasteful tho. So without further ado…**

**Pranks and misunderstandings.**

Naruto was resting in a training field, head buzzing with the events that changed his entire outlook on his life and his supposed "bonds". He sat there, breathing heavily from his destructive training thinking back on all that took place that day.

Earlier That Day

Naruto awoke early that day having gotten very little sleep the night before. There were so many things on his mind from the grief of Sasuke and Neji's death to the relief of the war finally ending. It had been almost a month since that fateful day, but it still weighed heavily on the blonde boy's heart.

He reluctantly rolled out of bed and began his morning routine. After he finished ales than healthy breakfast that consisted entirely of ramen, he slowly made his way towards Hokage Tower. As he was walking through the village, there was a mixture of emotions on the faces of the villagers he passed by. Many wore solemn expressions, others smiled happily at the savior of the ninja world. However, there were still those who looked upon him with cold, hateful eyes. Those were the ones who had lost someone precious to them and who felt that their loved one died, as they felt, unfairly for the demon boy who was now being called a hero.

After about ten minutes, Naruto arrived at his destination. As he walked through the door to the Hokage's office, he once again looked at the person behind the huge desk and did little to hide the disappointment on his face.

"No change in granny Tsunade's condition I see," He said as he looked at the fill in.

"I'm sorry," Kakashi said to his former student. "She has stabilized, but is in no way ready to come back to work just yet."

"I see." Naruto said a little hope in his eyes at hearing she was doing better. "So what is it you wished to see me about?"

"Ah yes about that. I think you should have a seat." Kakashi said cautiously, pointing to a seat in front of his desk. After Naruto gave him a confused look and sat down, Kakashi continued. "The council and the Elders have spoken and agreed that Tsunade is to be removed as Hokage and that you will be stripped of your Rank as a genin until further notice. You are to attend a mandatory meeting in two weeks to discuss your future as a leaf shinobi." Kakashi finished without any emotion in his voice.

"Wh-what?!" Naruto sputtered unable to believe his ears.

"I said th-" Kakashi began in the same flat tone before he was cut off by Naruto.

"I heard what you said," Naruto said heatedly, "but why?"

"All the details will be given to you in two weeks' time, Naruto." Kakashi said and dismissed him with a wave of his hand.

Naruto was in shock. This couldn't be happening; this had to be a joke. He jumped up outraged but before he could utter a single word, Kakashi spoke again. "Naruto, I know this is hard on you, but if you ever intend on becoming Hokage, you must learn to follow orders and have patience. You are dismissed."

Naruto could say nothing. He wanted to argue but knew that it wouldn't make a difference. He turned and walked out of the office in a defeated way. He could barely keep his composure when he walked out of the building, not even able to put on his trademarked fake smile. He subconsciously made his way over to the temporary location that was the new Ichiraku. He sat down and ordered a bowl of Miso Ramen. Teuchi, the owner who was always very fond of his best customer, noticed immediately that something was wrong with the boy.

"Hey Naruto, is everything ok?" the ramen maker asked. Naruto merely shrugged, saying nothing as Teuchi handed him his ramen. Instead of inhaling the noodles in his normal fashion, he just stared at the steaming bowl without really seeing it at all. He was so caught up in his own mind that he didn't notice when the pink-haired kunoichi sat next to him and start to speak to him. It wasn't until she knocked him on the head, effectively bringing him back to reality, that he realized she was there.

"I heard what happened from Shizune-sempai." Sakura said. "Is there anything I can do?" She asked staring into Naruto's eyes.

"No, but thanks anyway Sakura-chan." Naruto said getting up and thanking Teuchi and Ayame after paying for his food. Naruto walked away from the stand and began to make his way home when he felt a warm hand take hold of his wrist and pull him around to face the hand's owner. Sakura immediately pulled Naruto into a close embrace. At first Naruto did nothing but stand there, then he hugged her back. They stayed that way for two or three minutes, both happy to be in their friend's comforting arms. Naruto then pulled away from Sakura by placing his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "Thank you Sakura-chan, you're a good friend." Naruto said before turning away to leave. Again he was pulled back by Sakura.

"I-I could be more than just a friend. I want to be more." Sakura said blushing deeply. "I love you, Naruto-kun."

Naruto looked as though he had been slapped. He had waited and wished to hear those words for years. Now, however, his feelings for her have changed. He gave her a soft look of compassion. "I'm sorry Sakura-chan, but I don't think we can be more than friends." He said. It hurt him to see the pain in her eyes, as tears began build, but he had to say what needed to be said. "I do love you Sakura-chan, but not in that way. Not anymore. You see there's someone else now, and she means a lot to me." Naruto finished never breaking eye contact.

Sakura felt her heart break. Her feelings for Sasuke were long forgotten, even before the traitor's death. Ever since the day on that bridge when he tried to kill her, she realized just how much Naruto meant to her. From that day on her love for the blonde boy grew. Today it far surpassed anything that she felt for Sasuke.

"I understand Naruto-kun." Sakura said putting on a brave smile. "I'll be here for you, if you ever need me." She said. Before turning to leave she asked "Who is she?"

Naruto smiled one of his true smiles that Sakura hadn't seen in a long time. The sight took her breath away. "Hinata-hime," he said blushing slightly.

Before she could stop herself, Sakura grabbed Naruto's hand and kissed him swiftly on the cheek before whispering into his ear "She's lucky." With that Sakura turned and ran away as fast as her legs could carry her, finally succumbing to tears.

Naruto stood there for a moment, and then deciding to go a little early to meet Hinata at the training field, disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Arriving at the training field Naruto heard a familiar voice yell "I love you!" from a small cluster of trees. He moved around the trees and what he saw crushed him.

There in a small clearing was Kiba and Hinata kissing. As he stared at the scene, he felt his world shatter like porcelain slammed against a brick wall. Their kiss was brief, only lasting about two seconds when Akamaru barked. Kiba immediately moved away from Hinata and both pairs of eyes flew to Naruto. Kiba wore a look of terror. He knew very well what Naruto was capable of. Hinata's eyes however were filled with total and utter pain at seeing the look on her lover's face. Before either of them could say or do anything, Naruto turned and vanished in a flash of yellow light.

With as much strength as Hinata could muster (which wasn't much considering how much her heart was aching) she slapped Kiba across the face, making him stagger backwards a few feet. "Look what you've done!" She shouted at her teammate.

Training ground, one minute before Naruto's arrival

"I'm sorry Kiba-kun, but I'm with Naruto-kun now. I love him, and I'm happy." Hinata said looking at Kiba in disbelief.

"Just give me a chance, and maybe your feelings will change." Kiba pleaded, growing frustrated with his unrequited love. "I love you!" he shouted. In an instant he took advantage of her stunned state and closed the distance between them. Before Hinata could see what was happening he roughly forced his lips upon hers.

Hinata immediately put her hands to his chest to push him away but he pulled her closer until Akamaru barked. Surprised Kiba loosened his grip and Hinata pushed him away hard. Almost against her will, Hinata's as well as Kiba's eyes were drawn to the opening where Naruto was standing. Hinata's eyes looked into his, seeing only an ocean of anguish and pain that she had caused him. After what felt like an eternity of misery, Naruto's eyes turned blank and empty. Then he was gone in a flash of yellow light.

The hand that Hinata had unknowingly lifted to comfort Naruto was used instead to slap her former friend. "Look what you've done!" She shouted.

Present

Hinata dashed after the man she loved only to be grabbed by Kiba. "Hinata stay with me. Just let him go. He can't love you the way I can." He said as he tried to pull her closer. He was surprise when she gave into his pull. He looked down at her with a huge smile on his face. His smile quickly disappeared when he saw her activated Byakugan.

"Eight Trigrams: Vacuum Palm." Hinata said gently as she thrust her palm at the dumbfounded and foolish boy. Before he even knew what hit him, Kiba was sent crashing through the trees landing in a bloody mess on the ground. Coughing blood he looked up at Hinata who was now standing above him.

"Never speak to me again, we are no longer friends." Hinata said looking down in disgust at the boy she once considered one of her closest friends. She turned and left, not bothering to say goodbye or eve look back.

Kiba lay there unable to give chase. One of his legs was broken and he was pretty sure a few of his ribs were too. Akamaru looked at his owner in a way that clearly said "You're an idiot."

Naruto was running. As to where he was going he didn't know or seem to care. He just ran away from his pain and his anger. He was trying to out run his feelings. First, he was no longer a ninja. Now he had lost Hinata to someone he thought was his friend, a comrade. His life was slowly spiraling into a penetrating darkness that promised to devour him. Naruto suddenly stopped running when he realized where he was: the training field made for him by Jiraiya.

His body had subconsciously brought him here, to this place of peace. Naruto began pacing around the quiet area, knowing no one would cross his path here. He wished that the old pervert was here now to give him some advice or just talk to him. He thought what the old sage might say, how he would react if he were in this predicament. Thinking it over, Naruto figured that going to a brothel didn't sound appealing at all. Instead Naruto decided to train until he couldn't feel anything anymore.

Naruto got up. He had made up his mind. He was going to go see Kakashi and let him know that he would be in his training ground until the meeting. He decided that, depending on Kakashi's and the Elder's decision, he would either stay on Mt. Myobuku until he was needed or travel the world leaving his ninja days behind forever.

It had been a week since that day and Naruto hadn't been seen by any of his friends. Worry was starting to spread throughout the ninja community. Rumors of what might have happened began to circulate, many of which involved the Hyuga heiress who had been seen desperately searching for the boy.

Kakashi, under extreme pressure from his subordinates, let everyone know that he knew exactly where Naruto was but would say nothing else. Hinata had come to him in hysterics begging to know so she could speak to him. Despite her pleas Kakashi simply told her that Naruto didn't want to speak to anyone including her. No matter how much she begged Kakashi wouldn't budge. After three days of searching with little to no sleep, she locked herself away in her room refusing to speak to anyone. She spent days crying her heart out with only her pillow to keep her company. She was broken. She had finally gotten the man she had loved for nearly her entire life to accept her, even to date her, and now he was gone. He no longer wanted anything to do with her. She had lost him and there was nothing she could do. She felt hollow, worthless and dirty.

For four days Hinata did not leave her room except to use the bathroom. On the eighth day, she woke suddenly to see a pair of red eyes looking down at her.

"Hello Hinata." Kurenai said in a soft voice. "We need to talk."

"Kurenai-sensei, what are you doing here?" Hinata said sitting up.

"I'm here to get you out of this room and back to your life." Kurenai said kindly but with a sense of authority Hinata hadn't heard in a long time. "Starting with a shower," she added smelling the less than flattering scent coming off of her old student.

"My life is over, Naruto-kun hates me," Hinata said beginning to cry. "And it's all my fault."

"From what I've been told it's not your fault at all." Kurenai said rubbing circles on Hinata's back.

"What have you heard?" Hinata asked hesitantly.

"By coincidence I happened to be in the hospital today and ran into Hana. Long story short, she told me that she was visiting Kiba. So, being the caring sensei that I am, I went to check up on him. I asked him what happened and do you know what he told me?" Hinata refused to meet her gaze.

"He told me that he deserved what happened to him. That he had hurt a friend, betrayed her trust and lost a precious person in his life." Kurenai finished, watching the young girl closely. When she still didn't respond, Kurenai continued patiently. "He told me he kissed you and that Naruto saw it. He told me that is why Naruto left."

"Naruto-kun thinks that I betrayed him, and now he will never speak to me again." Hinata said in little more than a whisper. "And now he's gone and I might never see him again." She finished tears now falling freely from her eyes.

"Naruto doesn't know what really happened. I can help you find him so you can explain everything to him." Kurenai said hoping against hope that Hinata would accept.

"Really, you can find him?" Hinata asked hope flaring instantly within her. "How?"

"I may know of a way, but I will tell you only on one condition." Kurenai said, happy that Hinata had shown a little life in her eyes.

"I'll do anything." Hinata said without hesitation.

"No matter what happens to Naruto, you must promise to never give up on living again." Kurenai said with a small smile.

After a moment of thought, Hinata agreed and allowed Kurenai to drag her to clean up.

Naruto was sitting very still and very quiet in his training field, meditating. It had been a long and lonely week. His only contact with anyone from the village was when Teuchi or Ayame brought him his normal order of ramen. Those were always short visits however, seeing as they had to return quickly to their stand. He had also sent a messenger toad to his friends yesterday to let them know he was ok and that he would be around soon. They all sent him replies saying that if he needed anything he need only ask.

He was interrupted from his meditation when he heard someone bumbling near his sanctuary. Not that they could see, hear, or in the case of this most unwelcomed intruder smell him.

"Naruto! Naruto, I know you're here. We need to talk." Kiba yelled out, slowly making his way toward the field on crutches.

Naruto made his way too Kiba unseen and unheard, releasing an enormous amount of killing intent. The crippled chunin froze in fear, unable to breathe, slowly suffocating from his own terror. "I have to say to you. Now leave, while I still allow it." Naruto's voice came from seemingly everywhere, chilling the Inuzuka boy to the very marrow in his bones.

Kiba did not move, no matter how his instincts where shouting at him to get out of there. "No Naruto. What you saw between me and Hinata wasn't what you think it was."

"I saw you two kissing, what more is there to know." Naruto said appearing out of the shadows behind Kiba, effectively making said boy nearly piss himself.

"Let me explain, and then you can kill me if you want." Kiba pleaded putting his hands up in front of him, a show of defeat.

"I could just kill you now." Naruto said eyes turning red from Kurama's chakra coursing through him. "Why should I listen, let alone believe anything that comes out of your traitorous mouth?"

"Because if you don't you'll throw away the best thing that has ever happened to you." Kiba said

"YOU'VE ALREADY TAKEN HER!" Naruto shouted anger and pain bursting out of him. He took a moment to calm down before continuing. "Tell me again, why I shouldn't kill you?"

"Hinata isn't mine, she never was. For as long as I've known her, she has had eyes for you alone." Kiba took a few steps back before continuing, "What you saw in the forest wasn't us kissing, it was me… forcing an unwanted and unwelcomed kiss on Hinata." He retreated back even further seeing the look of rage on Naruto's face, he would rather have been facing Ibiki under charges of betraying the village. "It was a mistake, I was overcome with jealousy and I couldn't stop myself. I love Hinata, and wanted to be with her, but I know now she would never be with me. She loves you too much. After you ran off, I tried to stop her from chasing you, and she nearly killed me." Kiba said it all with a pained look on her face.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" Naruto asked stunned at this revelation.

"Because I want her to be happy. Even if I'm not the one that's causing her happiness. She's been a complete wreck since the day you left." Kiba said. "Only you can make her happy."

Naruto stared at Kiba, then in a move so fast it almost didn't exist punched him hard in the face, knocking him flat on his back. "Thank you. Now get lost." Naruto said furious yet happy at the same time, before he noticed something he hadn't thought of. "How did you find me anyway?"

"I followed Ayame bringing you dinner." Kiba said getting up and holding his now bruised and swollen jaw. "She's over there with Akamaru." He pointed towards the woods. Ayame stepped out from behind the trees, blushing. "Forgive me Naruto-kun." She said bowing her head in apology.

"It's ok Ayame-Nii-chan. Naruto said in a soft understanding voice, his eyes turning back to their warm blue. "There's nothing to be sorry for. Please take this idiot to the hospital. I think I might have broken his jaw." He pointed at Kiba with his thumb. Ayame and quickly left with Kiba.

When Naruto watched them leave, a warm feeling began to blanket his mind. '_Hinata didn't betray me.' _He thought. He could've jumped up and down whooping at that moment, but he felt another presence enter the training field. "You can get rid of the genjutsu now, Kurenai-sensei." He said looking at a branch that for a moment seemed empty. In an instant the empty branch revealed two women, one with long black hair and red eyes, the other with long dark blue hair, fair skin and a beautiful lavender eyes that Naruto had missed.

"You're getting rusty Kurenai-sensei. Before you became a mother I would have never known you were there." Naruto said politely before giving her a respectful bow. He then turned his back on the pair. "If you would excuse us sensei, Hinata and I have something to discuss." He finished without turning around.

Kurenai turned to face Hinata, gave her a quick hug and a small smile, and then disappeared in a puff of smoke. Hinata braced herself and jumped down just behind Naruto. "Naruto-kun, I'm sor-" she began to say but was interrupted when she was suddenly pulled into a tight embrace. She then felt a hand under her chin gently bringing her face up to look into her lover's eyes. The look that she saw took her breath away, nearly causing her to faint.

Naruto's eyes were blazing with a look that promised to love her forever. She had no idea how she knew that but the kiss that followed confirmed it. She felt heaven in his lips, and would not have been surprised if she was floating away into a sky of ecstasy and bliss. All too soon she was brought back to earth when Naruto broke the kiss.

"Please forgive me Hinata-hime. I'm sorry for the way I've been acting, I should have talked to you, I shou-" Naruto said before Hinata put a finger to her lips. She couldn't believe _he_ was actually apologizing to _her. _

"Don't apologize Naruto-kun. I know why you ran away and I don't blame you. I'm so happy that you still want me. I was afraid that you would hate me." Hinata said crying with happiness. "I'm so sorry Naruto-kun. I love you."

"I could never hate you Hinata-hime." Naruto whispered pulling her into another embrace and smelling her hair. "I love you too." They kissed again much longer this time, and with as much passion as they could muster.

Again Naruto broke the kiss and looked at a fairly disappointed Hinata. "Never let anyone kiss these lips again."

"I won't, I promise." Hinata said. "Only you, Naruto-kun."

The next few days went by in a blur. Before Naruto knew it, it was already time for his meeting with Kakashi and the council. When Naruto entered the meeting room, he noticed that he was apparently the last one to arrive. He took a seat, the only empty one, directly across from Kakashi.

"Uzumaki Naruto, we are here to discuss your future as a shinobi in Konoha Village." Kakashi said in a flat tone. "Before we vote, do you have anything you would like to say?"

"Yes." Naruto said. "For a long time, my dream was to become Hokage. I love this village and I would gladly die to protect it. I have proven time and time again that I am loyal to my friends and to my village. Even if you choose to take away my role as a ninja, I will continue to help protect my home the only way I know how. I will ask only this: give me a chance to prove that I am worthy of becoming Hokage." He finished with a fire burning brightly in his eyes.

"Well said indeed Naruto-kun." Tsunade said from the door behind Naruto. He hadn't noticed her come in. The council members uttered a unanimous murmur of agreement following her words.

"Now we vote. All in favor raise your right hand." Kakashi said raising his own without hesitation. This action was copied by everyone in the room. "All opposed?" No one moved.

"It's unanimous then." Kakashi said, seeing Naruto smile from ear to ear. "Congratulations Naruto. You start you're training with Tsunade-sama tomorrow."

"Huh?" Naruto said in the middle of jumping up and down.

"Didn't you tell him what this was all about Kakashi?" Tsunade said staring at the one eyed Jonin.

"Oh, about that. I kinda pulled a small prank on you." Kakashi said scratching the back of his head and laughing nervously. "You see Naruto, this meeting was not about you staying on as a ninja. I kinda made that part up." He chuckled slightly moving toward the open door. "I'll let Tsunade-sama explain the rest." He finished as he ran out.

"What's this about then granny Tsunade?" said Naruto completely confused and pissed.

"That was a vote for the next Hokage." Tsunade said simply, a smile crossing her face at the stunned look on his. "Congratulations. Tomorrow you are officially the Sixth Hokage."

_End_


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